East Cleveland

East Cleveland, city, suburb of Cleveland, Cuyahoga county, northeastern Ohio, U.S., just southeast of Lake Erie. The site was settled in 1801 by farmers, and East Cleveland township was organized in 1805. The boundaries were reduced because of annexations by the city of Cleveland, and the village, which was incorporated in 1895, became a city in 1911. Suburban growth was aided by the advent of the streetcar. From the 1960s to the ’80s East Cleveland transformed from a predominantly white suburb into a predominantly African American one; a significant flight of capital and business accompanied this population shift, and at the start of the 21st century the community was one of Cleveland’s poorest suburbs. Primarily residential, the city has some industrial development and is the site of Nela Park, headquarters of General Electric’s lighting division and one of the first planned industrial research parks (built 1911–21) in the United States. Its Forest Hill Park (shared with neighbouring Cleveland Heights) was once part of the summer estate of oil magnate John D. Rockefeller. The East Cleveland Theater, founded in 1968, presents several major productions annually and offers a range of arts instruction and community programs. Pop. (2000) 27,217; (2010) 17,843.